Aphrodisiacs and 52 Sizzling Love Secrets

Throughout the ages, men and women have eagerly swallowed almost any substance that was called an aphrodisiac, no matter how unappetizing or bizarre. In our never ending search for better sex, humans have consumed such diverse items as oysters, eels, elephant tusks, lion blood, bull testicles, rhino horn, ram penis, pig genitals, marijuana, and the dried remains of the Mediterranean cantharis beetle, otherwise known as “Spanish Fly.” The sea is a rich source of legendary aphrodisiacs. Oysters, shrimp, clams, anchovies, and eels have been reputed since ancient times to increase sexual desire. Actually, the word Aphrodisiac came from Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love and desire, who herself was a gift from the sea. Many roots, vegetables, and fruits became known as aphrodisiacs simply because their shapes were designed by nature as a clue to their use. And the ancients were always on the look out for such secret signs. So, based on shape alone, they chose to eat asparagus, bananas, carrots, celery, cucumbers, dates, figs, and tomatoes among others in the hope that they would arouse passion and bestow vigor. Eating the genitals of animals noted for their potency, such as bulls and rams, is another historical practice meant to ensure virility. Are these substances of mythology really aphrodisiacs? As it turns out, some of them do work as sex boosters. For example, oysters are a prime source of zinc, one of the essential minerals for men. Semen is rich in zinc, and adequate zinc is needed for sperm production and hormone metabolism. Oysters also release testosterone in women.

Aphrodisiacs for Flirting

Chili Peppers – Gets the face flushing, heart pumping, pores sweating, & blood flowing towards the genitals.

Bananas – Contains bufotenine, a chemical that acts on the brain to increase happiness, self-confidence, & sex drive.

Carrots – Have strong fibrous ingredients that supercharge the body & lead to a feeling of strong sexual desire.

Damiano – This “lover’s herb” contains alkaloids, which stimulate blood flow to genitals & increase sensitivity.

Clary Sage – Is known for decreasing inhibitions with its relaxing, euphoric, mildly intoxicating effects.

Keep Reading or Get Dr. Ava’s Books on Aphrodisiacs Now!

Read more about the 52 Sizzling Aphrodisiacs and Sex Secrets of Dr. Ava here.

Bouldering in Keystone

Let’s talk secret bouldering areas for a second. After word got out back in the 90s about Rocky Mountain National Park bouldering – Chaos Canyon, Upper Chaos, Moraine Park boulders, the boulders at the bottom of the Diamond and down valley, Upper Thunder Basin, Emerald Lake boulders, and others – traffic in the Park really started to pick up. Now, if you go up there on a weekend, you might as well just go to the gym as there are on average 50+ people climbing in the Chaos Canyon area alone.

Groups of industrious boulderers began to hunt out other high alpine bouldering areas in the hopes of finding more gems, classic lines, and a break from the crowds and hot summer temps. Evans – although already known – became another Front Range favorite as it has more moderate problems and landings then the Park. Guanella Pass also got a second or third look. Swissco was found and developed, although the long 4×4 road has kept it fairly quiet despite it having some major undone roof problems. A couple other places were also found and developed: the Eldora walls, Empire boulders, Cameron Pass, and the Keystone boulders.

Read about the Keystone Boulders: Alternatives to RMNP Alpine Bouldering here.

Archaic Period in North American Archaeology

The Archaic period has been a working concept within archaeology, and even other social sciences, for well over half a century. Long thought of as the stage between the initial peopling of the Americas (sometime in the late Pleistocene) and that of large-scale societies (a few hundred to a thousand years ago), the Archaic has long been a period of simplistic understanding and characterization. One of the most influential characterizations of this period was developed by archaeologists Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips in their now classic Method and Theory in American Archaeology (Classics Southeast Archaeology). Defined “as the stage of migratory hunting and gathering cultures continuing into environmental conditions approximately those of the present” (Willey and Phillips 1958:107), it is only recently that this characterization has been challenged by new archaeological evidence. In a recent issue of the SAA Archaeological Review, Kenneth E. Sassaman introduces several papers that discuss new archaeological evidence that is shifting our understanding of the period, particularly for the Southeast of North America. Key points of these papers, as articulated by Sassaman include:

1) Although the concept of a pan-continental Archaic period in North America has fallen into disfavor, there still exists a tendancy among American archaeologists to gloss the enormous diversity of things Archaic within the broader tropes of “hunter-gatherer” and “primitive” that have shaped anthropological inquiry since the late nineteenth century.

Read the other key points about the Archaic period in North American archaeology here.